How to clean an airbrush real quick?

nanook177 · Post by **nanook177** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 7:40 pm

Here's my scenario: I work at a hospital and am on call most nights. If I'm called in, I have to be in the ER within 1 hour. I live about 55 minutes away. So, to make it there in time I have to leave real quick. I have hours of time available and I want to work on my projects. However, it takes several minutes to clean an airbrush at the end of your painting session. So my question is there a way to ether:
A. Clean the airbrush hyper fast? Or
B. Leave it it a state where it won't be ruined and I can clean it when I get home (about 5 hours later)?
So, thoughts? Thank you.

TazMan2000 · Post by **TazMan2000** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 8:13 pm

What type of airbrush do you have? 5 minutes isn't nearly enough time to do even a quick job. You either have to drive faster, move closer or not work on your models when you are on call. I know that is not what you want to hear but your situation does allow for any flexibility. But....you might get away with having some hot water nearby and working that through the delivery system quickly and then soaking it in water while you are gone. When you get back try and get to cleaning it properly. Words of caution, this is not recommended because damage to your airbrush could result. Also, it depends what type of paint you are using. Water based or water thinned might work better for the above procedure.

TazMan2000

nanook177 · Post by **nanook177** » Fri Apr 29, 2016 1:08 pm

Unfortunately that's what I thought. I was hoping for a minor miracle. It looks like the best option might be to teach my wife how to tear it down and clean it in case I need to run. Thank you.

Wug · Post by **Wug** » Sat Apr 30, 2016 9:50 am

What kind of airbrush do you have?

What kind of paint do you use?

If you use a water-based acrylic, flush it with the manufacturers recommended cleaner, disassemble it and soak everything in water until you get home and can give it a good cleaning.

A while back I read an airbrush book. The author claimed that after painting with acrylics he merely flushed, back flushed and flushed again. He said he seldom took his airbrush apart to clean. I think he painted with Comart. This has never worked for me. If I don't strip clean after painting I have problems.

Solvent-based paints present more of a problem. Flush with an appropriate solvent. Disassemble it. Soak the nozzle parts and needle in the solvent in glass containers you can seal. Maybe you could use a test tube for the needle. I don't know what to do about the body of the airbrush. Soaking it in solvent might damage the Teflon seal or the rubber in the air valve.

The important thing is not to let paint dry inside an assembled airbrush.

Mike

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Apr 30, 2016 10:19 am

I've found, by accident, that dumping the excess paint, spraying the last drips then adding some cleaning agent (EZ AIR airbrush cleaner) and starting to spray it will keep for several days before the brush becomes a mess to clean. The EZ AIR is a concentrate thinned with water 8 to 1. Works great for acrylics.

Thomas E. Johnson · Post by **Thomas E. Johnson** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:40 pm

I flush it out with lacquer thinner or acetone. Takes about a minute and cleans it thoroughly.

Go Flight · Post by **Go Flight** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:53 pm

If sometimes you really have to rop it and run I would have a glass or container mixed with 50/50 Simple green and water to cover the front 1/2 of the a/b, and give it a shot or two in the jar. The Simple Green will work on the paint w/o ruining the a/b or o-rings. HTH

NCC1966 · Post by **NCC1966** » Sat Aug 20, 2016 1:50 pm

Normally I don't take more than 2 minutes to clean my AB. I use enamels and spirit thinner. Here it is my sequence of cleaning:

1) Pour out the rest of paint
2) Pour in some solvent (in my case spirit thinner) and using an old brush just brush it inside to remove the paint from the inner sides of the cup
3) Atomize the AB closing the tip with my finger for 3 seconds -- it will make the mixture into the cup to "boil" (it's called "retro-wash")
4) Pour the mixture out and put more solvent
5) Repeat the steps 3-4 until the mixture is completely transparent (no visible paint)
6) Pour the solvent out and pour more clean solvent into the cup (half cup) and atomize it out with full power (trigger full back) till it finishes

If you are in a real rush and need to go out now you can consider IT'S DONE, because you cleaned the most important part of your airbrush, that is the inner side. This is also my process whenever I need to change color.

Then if you have a few more seconds:

6) Clean the cup with a rag damped with solvent
7) Damp a cotton swab with solvent and clean the needle crown inside
8) Drip a couple drops of solvent into the cup and pull the trigger a few times with compressor off, just to let some penetrate inside and avoid that the trigger get stuck

That's is. Two minutes is enough to do this. Maybe you will need just a bit of practice. After a couple times doing it you will be an expert!